I have no idea whether linking to an old thread will help at all, but maybe you want to read it.

[This message has been edited by MrCheeze (edited 03-20-2009 @ 08:12 PM).]

Hey guys, after sleuthing around, I was able to find the original sound tracks (all of them in MP3 quality).

Here is the link: Removed by Darky

I hope this helps anyone who wishes to hear the awesome original AOE OST I've been playing some custom campaigns with the new tracks as a playlist in the background. I love it!

Mod Edit: Past this is a real gray area which boarders on piracy . I realize this isn't your intent but further discussion is needed on this matter. - Darky

[This message has been edited by The Dark Archer (edited 03-22-2009 @ 09:22 PM).]

It isn't explained in that old thread, it goes like this.

The original stand-alone AoE, and stand-alone RoR, on one CD each, have in addition to game data files, music in CD-audio format, which takes over half of the space on the respective CD-s.

The CD is not Red Book format, it's Orange Book (a format which combines both Red Book which is when CD contains nothing but CD Audio, like the CD releases in the music industry, and Yellow Book which is when the CD contains nothing but data files).

The Audio portion of the CD is in CD audio format however and because of this you will not find this music as files on the CD with any regular Windows utilities. The music data can outside the game be usually recognised by programs that are used to handle CD-audio format (your average music CD). In Win98 there was a nice little program CD-Player which could do it. In XP and Vista I'm not so sure.

The music is also available in MIDI format, which is a complete recomposition of the music in entirely different format that sounds completely different. This format can be found as files on your computer after the install. This format I believe is used in multiplayer for the players that do not have CD-s but can play multiplayer when their mates do have the CD. It is also used in the demo versions of the games.

Unlike the standalone versions, AoE Gold crams both AoE and RoR data files onto one CD, and so there is no room left on this one CD for even one CD soundtrack, let alone two of them. Because of this, it always uses those extremely small MIDI files for music instead.

IN ADDITION to this, different sound cards and different setting may lead to the MIDI files themselves being played very differently, which only adds to the confusion. In Win 95 and 98, if you select Sound in Control Panel, then under the MIDI section you can usually select between two MIDI devices, one of which makes AoE music sound very bad because it wasn't created for this device (likewise, music which WAS created for this device will sound very bad with the other device). Between different sound cards there might be yet further differences even when using the same device, although these are much smaller.

Would it be piracy in my case? I have both AoE And AoE Gold but couldn't find the audio files on either one. Since I already own the game would it be a problem to download something that I'm already supposed to have? If you believe that this is an issue then I will delete the music files I downloaded rather than risk being banned. I don't like to break the CoC and wouldn't have downloaded the music files unless I felt that I wasn't doing anything wrong.

No more discussion about the pirated music or this thread will go to lock-land and I might hand out a few warnings. Discussion of AoE music is fine, however.

Well I still don't get why AoE original opening screen theme wasn't made the official AoE series theme. It sounded so primitive and made it really cool.

But i still think Alpha Bravo Tango is the best track from both AoE and RoR.

I would say yes if you don't have the CD the music is on I would define it as a form of piracy. Although arguments could be made for people in our position we have to take a tough line on it.

It IS the AoE series theme. Well, it's on the title screens for the other games I think. (I know as a fact it is for the AoK demo, I replaced my MIDI music with that.)

Nope it isn't...i'm talking about the menu screen, btw.

Holy crap, just realised the menu screen music is a completely different music. Hearing it brings back the memories... of a game I still play...

Sorry for the link mods, I just wanted to help out fellow players who bought the Gold Edition of this game.

Hmm, btw, guys check out these remixed AOE / ROR tracks... Pretty cool imo ^^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BdUdATHisw&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-W-9cTTcLc&feature=channel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjXrlqnljWc&feature=channel_page

That sounds pretty sick...

I finally found the music files on my AoE vanilla CD! I opened the CD in Windows Media Player and selected the CD and ripped the tracks to the computer. Instant AoE soundtrack!

My keyboard has a play button on it for some reason. And it works, too.

What kind of futuristic/audio studio keyboard do you use MrCheeze?

I dunno but it came with my used Windows 98.